National Herald case: Sonia, Rahul turn legal setback into a political victory in just 3 minutes

Click here for National Herald case timeline They went in smiling and came out grinning. In three minutes, the Gandhis walked out of the Patiala House court after a political drama that could have a huge impact on the future of the Congress. Before the Gandhis went to the court, their critics were jumping around in the aisles, convinced this is the end of the dynasty, whose members would spend the next few days in some cold, damp cell of the Tihar. This premature glee, obviously, was rooted in ignorance of the facts of the complicated case and Indian judicial system. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi were merely summoned by the court, they had not been found or pronounced guilty and there was not an even a remote possibility of their going to jail, unless they refused to seek bail. [caption id=“attachment_2551606” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Congress president Sonia Gandhi (left) and vice-president Rahul Gandhi. PTI[/caption] The National Herald case has just begun. The verdict will follow a trial based on arguments, counterargument, evidences, cross-examination and other legal requirements. For all this to happen, the court has to decide whether there is enough evidence on record to frame charges. In the meantime, the Congress will try every remedy available under our system, including the option of moving the Supreme Court. Unless the case is fast tracked due to non-legal considerations, this will be a long, gruelling battle that could stretch for years. It is important to remember here that Subramanian Swami is a loose cannon when it comes to legal battles. Such is his record of hits and misses that sometimes it becomes difficult to predict when he is insinuating, when he is incriminating and when he is just fantasising. Only a few days ago, Swami was accusing Rahul Gandhi of being a British citizen and before that he was suggesting that Sunanda Pushkar was poisoned with Polonium. We know what happened. He was, of course, successful in getting J Jayalalithaa relentlessly prosecuted and briefly dethroned and jailed in the disproportionate assets case. But history will judge him on the basis of how effectively he pursues the case in the Supreme Court after Jayalalithaa’s acquittal by the high court. So, nobody can predict the outcome of Swami’s latest battle with the Gandhis. But, after the events on Saturday, the Congress would be tempted to send a ’thank you’ note to Swami for bringing the party back into the limelight and giving it an opportunity to play the victim. For a change, the Congress used the adverse circumstances to its advantage. Its leaders did not sneak into the court, hiding behind tinted windows of their cars. They walked in, head held high, smiling and waving at the media. Only time will tell whether this body language was a facade or a genuine manifestation of the confidence in their karma and fate. But it was a stark contrast to Swami’s decision to drive in and drive out, as if the finger of suspicion was pointing at him. The biggest takeaway from Saturday’s show of strength by the Congress is that the party is united in its support to the Gandhis. Almost every leader of importance was present at the party headquarter or in the court, former prime minister Manmohan Singh personally furnished their bail and supported the party’s decision to “unite and give a determined fight.” This is a clear signal that there is no immediate threat to the existing leadership, not much doubt within the party — at least in public — about their innocence in the National Herald case. After Saturday’s events, those who were thinking there could soon be a revolt against the dynasty should get ready for a party that would revolve more and more around the Gandhi surname. Much as their critics would love to see a Gandhi-mukt Congress, the events on Saturday show the dynasty is not going anywhere in a hurry, not the least to jail.